Last Updated on August 17, 2021 by Chef Mireille
Boonchi Curry – Sri Lankan Green Bean Curry is a quick and easy vegan curry that will inspire you to get your daily veggies in! So delicious with Indian spices, coconut milk and pandan leaves (rampe).
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A scenic 30 minute ferry ride from Manhattan and a short bus ride or 20 minute walk and you will find yourself in the Sri Lankan enclave of New York City. Restaurants and grocery stores for you to find every Sri Lankan food product to make your own Sri Lankan meals at home. Once the weather gets warmer, its a great way to spend a foodie focused afternoon. Check out this post to see what foods you might enjoy and encounter in Staten Island’s Sri Lankan enclave. (It’s a really old post so due excuse the poor quality of the photos. Looks like it’s time for me to update that post. Guess I’ll be taking the ferry soon.)
This easy curry was made easier by using store bought Sri Lankan Curry Powder. Sri Lankan Curry Powders are sold in different forms. You can either purchase raw or roasted curry powder. For this recipe, I used roasted curry powder. For those who live in NY, you can get this at Lanka Grocery or Kalustyans.
Online Resources for Sri Lankan Curry Powder
One of the major differences between Indian curries and Sri Lanka is the use of rampe, also known as pandan in other Southeast Asian countries. The unique flavor of pandan is added to many both savory and sweet dishes. It is also included in their curry powders.
How to make Sri Lankan Green Bean Curry
Serve with Turmeric Rice.
Boonchi Curry – Sri Lankan Green Bean Curry
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 2 finely chopped green chiles
- 1 strand curry leaves
- 1 thinly sliced onion
- 1 lb. haricot verts or green beans
- 5 teaspoons Sri Lankan curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 rampe/ pandan leaf
- 1 cup coconut milk
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a wok or deep skillet, heat oil.
- Add garlic, ginger and chiles. Fry for 30 seconds.
- Add curry leaves and onion.
- Saute for 5 minutes, until the onions start to change color.
- Add green beans, curry powder, turmeric and rampe. Stir fry for a few minutes.
- Add ½ cup of water, cover and steam for 10 minutes.
- Add coconut and cook for 5 minutes on high heat.
- Add salt and stir to combine.
- Turn off flame, cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- To serve, discard rampe leaves.
Nutrition
This Boonchi Curry was part of a Sri Lankan Thali that included:
Mutton Curry
Turmeric Rice
Dal
Tuna Krokets
Coconut Sambol
Savboro
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That is one mouthwatering side dish to serve with rice. Loved all your recipes this week.
thanks – yes Sri Lankan is a very delicious cuisine
Love the Indian version of beans and it is a great hit with all my friends. I am going to see if I can get Pandan here. Can’t wait to try this out. Lovely pics Mir!
look in the frozen section of Asian market and hopefully you can find it there
Looks so good. we eat green beans regularly but with the SriLankan curry powder I am sure it is elevated to a different level.
yes this is definitely a very flavorful version
Wow, that is such a flavorful green beans curry. I’ve never cooked with pandan leaf — will have to look for it here in the Asian grocery.
yes – you will find it in the frozen section
I have never heard of pandan leaf and I am looking forward to tasting it. The beans look so refreshing and I love beans. This is a good variation to our traditional Indian preparation.
look in your local Asian market especially if they carry southeast Asian products – you will find it in the frozen section. May also be called pandanus or bai toey
The platter of rice and beans looks so colorful and tempting.
it did make a great combo
Nice dish Mir.We don’t get Pandan leaves here but will keep an eye out for them in the gourmet store.
they taste a lot like vanilla so a drop of vanilla extract would give you the same flavor profile
i think a dash of vanilla extract would do the trick as it has a vanilla like flavor